DeKALB | The race for NIU’s next liberal arts and sciences dean is on, and the finalists include a communication professor, a statistician, a mathematician and an anthropologist.

The first of four public forums took place Monday for faculty and staff to question each candidate.

During the forum, candidate Robert Ulin, chair of the anthropology department at Western Michigan University, presented his ideas for NIU and his opinions on specific issues brought up by the faculty.

The four finalists, selected from candidates throughout United States, are competing to fill the LA&S dean position vacated when Dean Frederick Kitterle died in May 2005. Since Kitterle’s death, Joe Grush has served as acting dean.

Michael Day, associate professor and director of first-year composition, was pleased with the outcome of the forum.

“I thought that the candidate spoke very well, seemed to be knowledgeable about administrative matters and seemed to be interested in the future of LA&S education at NIU,” Day said.

Day said he is interested in the qualifications of the candidates because he’s concerned about faculty hiring and first-year writing education among students.

Colin Booth, a geology and environment professor, said the forum allowed faculty to get information from the candidate not listed in the vita, or academic resume.

“I thought it was very informative,” Booth said. “It gave us a chance to get some idea about the candidate’s opinion about broader aspects of higher education.”

Faculty and student involvement on campus were among the issues addressed by faculty during the forum, along with issues of balancing graduate and undergraduate education, affirmative action in hiring and promoting diversity as well as faculty recruiting.